Blackened Fate
by Shadow Veli
Summary: Nowadays, nothing good happened to him. He felt as though someone had taken his strand of destiny and cut it, leaving it to dangle aimlessly. - Ciel Phantomhive, the Queen's Guard Dog, was sent on an investigation only to be captured and sold on the Black Market, disguised as a girl. - Semi-AU: no demons/reapers/angels. Shounen-ai.
1. A New Case

_He blindly ran through the dark halls, tripping and stumbling. More than enough times he had felt along the wall for guidance, unable to see in the suffocating lack of light. He stopped for a moment to breathe, his heartbeat pounding in his ears. His breathing was loud, each time he gulped in air his lungs burned._

_As his heart calmed down and the beating subsided, he was able to make out the sounds surrounding him. Mice scrambled around him, squeaking madly. But one sound was louder than them all. They were human footsteps, heading calmly in his direction._

_He tried to run, but his body wouldn't let him. The footsteps got closer, louder, more terrifying with each step. His mind was screaming at him to flee._

_A chuckle came from just beyond the darkness. His instincts took over, and the next thing he knew he was once again running at top speed. He looked behind him for only a moment, but that was enough. He didn't see the iron pipe hanging from the ceiling, nor did he noticed it was in his path._

_His head hurt beyond belief. He could barely hear, yet was able to make out the sound of footsteps. He was finally caught._

"_My my, aren't you full of trouble, my dear?"_

Ciel shot up in bed, eyes widening in fear. He clutched his chest, feeling his heart race. He looked around, sighing in relief as he saw the familiar walls of his bedroom.

_It was just a dream... No, it was too real to be a dream, but it had to have been._ Ciel took a deep breath. _Calm down Ciel, you're overreacting. _Throwing the covers off, he got off the bed and began getting dressed.

He fumbled a few times with the buttons on his shirt and jacket, along with tying his shoes. After all this time, he still hadn't learned properly. Letting his hair fall over his right eye, he headed down the stairs to the dining room.

"Ah, good morning Ciel. Glad to see you're up." Ciel's aunt greeted him.

Ciel sat down and began eating the breakfast the servants had cooked. He never even really saw them, but there were so many servants flitting around doing their daily chores. What he really needed was a single servant to replace all of them. "Madame Red, as I have said before, you aren't needed at this mansion, nor were you ever. I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself and running the company. You don't need to stay here."

"Absurd!" Madame Red exclaimed. Her bright red hair fell over her face and she brushed it away. "You're just a boy! And with no parents at that! Plus," she added. "Is it so wrong for me to want to spend time with my nephew?"

He sighed. "Madame Red-"

"And call me auntie!"

"'Auntie, I have been perfectly fine these past few years. I am sure-" Ciel was cut off by a knocking on the doors a servant – the courier, to be exact – opened the door.

"Master Phantomhive, a letter has arrived to you from the queen regarding a certain case."

"Bring it here," He instructed. The courier handed him the letter before bowing and scampering off.

Sky blue eyes scanned the parchment for a moment. Ciel stood up and began to walk toward the front doors. "You, get the carriage ready." He told another servant before turning to Madame Red. "I am going out."

"Then I'll come with you."

"No," It was a short, stern answer.

"And why not? I doubt I'll be jeopardizing anything. And it'd be great family bonding!" He raised an eyebrow at this.

"Solving cases is family bonding?" It was a pretty strange notion. Trying to find out who had partaken in criminal activity wasn't exactly the most pleasant thing, nor was it suitable for a special bond to form between family members.

"It doesn't matter, I'm coming anyway." once Madame Red's mind was made up, it was near impossible to change.

"Fine, but you will not interfere." Ciel gave in as he stepped into the carriage. She sat down across from him. "London," he told the driver.

"So what is this case about?" Madame Red wondered.

His gaze didn't leave the window as he replied. "There has been an increase in kidnappings lately, specifically young girls between the ages of eight and sixteen. Most of them seem to be taken right off the streets, but a few have happened at formal gatherings. There have been no major breakthroughs yet, but I suspect that who we're dealing with is someone with high status and influential power. Someone who could get away with being at social events where these disappearances have taken place and not be labeled as suspicious."

"Do you think they could be tied to the occult? I don't believe someone would take that many girls for any other reason." Madame Red commented, leaning back against the seat.

"There is also forced prostitution," Ciel stated pointedly. "But yes, that could be a reason. Although I doubt I'd have an easy time getting of list of people like that. No one in their right mind would announce that they take part in occult business."

Madame Red gave a small, hearty laugh. "No one in their right mind would even be involved with these matters to being with." Ciel nodded in agreement.

"I suppose so."

The two of them lapsed into a silence that lasted the rest of the ride. All the while Ciel pondered the case.

There wasn't much he could do at this point, there was no evidence to point any fingers, and he sure as hell wasn't going to start blindly accusing people. The list of people at all of the gatherings was quite long; many liked to keep up a good social status and show up anywhere they could.

The landscape flew by, and hours had passed before they stopped in front of a dark alley in London.

"We're here," Ciel announced as he got out.

"Here!?" Madame Red exclaimed. "Where exactly are we going Ciel? These are the dark parts of London. If anyone were to see up here-"

"They won't."

Ciel had cut off his aunt's rant. "What?"

"Most people with a high reputation wouldn't want to be caught here either. They avoid this place like the plague. Besides," he smirked. "Anyone who saw us here and told would also have to explain what _they_ were doing."

"But what are we here for?"

"Getting information." It was a simple answer, but confusing at that.

Ciel calmly opened a door and walked in as though it was an everyday thing. He heard Madame Red begin to cough as she stepped in after. Smoke filled the air, filling Ciel's lungs and threatening to choke him. His asthma didn't help either, but he held it back. He refused to cough, to show weakness.

He descended the staircase. The place was silent, for the most part. Ciel breathed heavily, his lungs burning. He coughed, hoping to pass it as a clearing of the throat. It ended up coming out sounding like a strangled grunt. When he looked up again, he was figures through the cloud of smoke.

"Ah, my lord. What brings you here?" A voice permeated the air.

"Lau," Ciel acknowledged the man. "I am here in search of information, information that you can supply."

Lau looked – as much as one can look with their eyes closed – at Ciel. "About what?"

"Illegal dealings."

He chuckled. "Well I do deal with those quite regularly. Care to be more specific?"

"With young women. Particularly between the ages of eight and sixteen."

Lau raised an eyebrow at the young lord. "My lord, I assure you, I would never. But hearing of this isn't an uncommon thing. There are multiple people who deal with that sort of business."

"I need a list." Ciel said. "With all of the people who have been involved with this."

"And where would you say you got this information from?" Lau leaned forward a bit, looking at the earl curiously.

Ciel smirked. "I only plan on getting a start on certain people. In the end, I would only need to say that I'd had my suspicions, and decided to act upon them. No one needs to know about our deal here, and both out reputations would remain intact." Ciel had thought this through well. The only thing he needed was a start.

"And will I be getting anything out of this little deal here?" Lau leaned back again, and took a smoke from his pipe. He blew it out, smoke mixing with the rest of the air.

"Remember that I could easily get you arrested for illegal drug dealing. You'd best not test my patience." Ciel glared at him threateningly. His face was completely serious.

"Woah, no need to threaten here. I never said I couldn't." He threw his hands up in mock defeat and smiled. "But very well, my lord." He got up, another figure moving in the process. Ran Mao. Ciel never did quite understand the woman.

She was always perched on Lau's lap, or somewhere around him. She never spoke, never showed any sort of emotion, never did _anything_.

Ran Mao followed him into a room father in the back. Ciel stood there patiently, with Madame Red behind him. She had not said a word the entire time. She was covering her mouth with her sleeve, trying to breathe as little of the smoke as possible.

Ciel began tapping his foot impatiently; he hated waiting. It was a waste of time.

Lau came out a moment later, Ran Mao following with a paper in her arms. Ciel took the paper from her.

"These are only the people who have come to me, hoping for business. I'm afraid that's all the information I am able to give you, my lord."

"It's sufficient," Ciel said, satisfied. He turned around and headed towards the stairs. "Come on." He beckoned to Madame Red. She followed after him.

"Couldn't that man have even bothered to air out that place once in a while!?" She exclaimed profoundly as soon as they stepped into the clean air again. "That was a horrible experience!"

"I told you that you need not come along." his tone implied annoyance. "If all you're going to do is complain you might as well go home now."

"Absolutely not! I will stick this out to the end!"

Ciel audibly sighed. He sat down in the carriage and looked over the list. "Many of these dealers were caught years ago." he remarked to himself, not expecting his aunt to reply.

"Well then that narrows down the suspect list." Madame Red took the parchment from Ciel. After a moment of ignoring Ciel's protests, she spoke again. "If anything, this man seems like the type to do these things." She pointed to a name.

He followed her finder. "Aleister Chamber? The Viscount Druitt?"

"Of course! That mean is always at every social gathering. And he's constantly talking to and flirting with all the young women there. It's an obvious choice!" Madame Red explained. It seemed reasonable enough, considering they had nothing but a list of names to go on. One thought occurred to Ciel, however.

"And how do you supposed we get close to the Viscount?"

* * *

"It's perfect!" Madame Red exclaimed in excitement. Ciel, however, was very much displeased. He turned around to face his aunt, only to trip and stumble to regain his balance.

"And why do _I_ have to wear this?"

Ciel was stubbornly modeling a long black, sleek dress with gold trimming that traced his boldly lightly until it softly hit the floor. Its material puffed out widely, starting at the waist, and at the shoulders. The dress was sleeveless, and the neckline came right before his chest. A silver necklace met a silver cross hung around his neck. He wore black gloves that went up to his elbows. Black high heels hurt his feet terribly, and his hair kept getting in his face. There were hair clips, extending his hair down to his mid back. To cover them up, there was a black hat covering them and part of his damaged right eye, pulling bangs down to cover the rest.

He crossed his arms, scowling.

"Because the Viscount goes after young women. And to tell you the truth I've always wanted a niece to dress up! Now, take a few steps forward, I need to see how you walk." Madame Red instructed.

Ciel hadn't taken more than a few steps when he tripped and fell.

_This is going to be torturous._

"Try it again! And this time balance a book on your head!"

* * *

Ciel practically collapsed wherever was comfortable. He felt drained of all energy. He had learned everything. Walking like a lady, talking like one, dining like one. Everything except...

"Ciel," his aunt said. "Now you have to learn how to dance. A lady must be able to properly dance is she is going to events like this."

"Who said I was going to dance?" Ciel retorted, clearly annoyed. He had never been good at any type of dancing, and that wasn't about to change. He would often trip and lose count.

"It is something you must learn. And it will be easier because you'll be in the female role, meaning you won't have to lead."

Madame Red walked over and opened the door, and a man stepped in. He had ebony hair that framed his face, and glasses that sat slight down on his nose. He had crimson red eyes hidden behind them.

"Ciel, this is your new dance instructor, Sebastian Michaelis." Madame Red introduced the man.

The man now known as Sebastian bowed. "It will be an honor to teach you, my lady." Ciel looked down at himself. He was still wearing the dress Madame Red had forced him to wear. It was then that he realized Madame Red had planned this.

_She wants me to practice acting like a lady now. And I have to keep this up. It would be completely embarrassing to be caught now._

Ciel cleared his throat lightly. "Well then, shall we get started?" He asked in a higher pitched voice. It hurt his throat, but he endured it.

"Yes, of course my lady." His voice was smooth and deep. "Now put your hand here..."

* * *

Sunlight streamed through the window, shining on an unmoving Ciel. The boy was still asleep from all that had happened yesterday.

He knew that he had work to do, but he didn't feel like getting up just yet. He rather enjoyed the peace and quiet, giving him time to relax in an otherwise busy life. He had company work to do, and no doubt Madame Red would want to do more 'training' with him.

Birds chirping was the only sound on this peaceful morning-

"Ciel~!" His aunt burst into the room, saying his name in a singsong voice. She opened the curtains all the day, brightening the room tremendously.

_So much for a calm morning._

Reluctantly, Ciel got up. "We have more lessons to do." Madame Red told him.

"No," Ciel said bluntly. "I have business work to attend to; work you kept me from all of yesterday. I'll have loads of paperwork to do, so you are not to disturb me." He shut Madame Red out of this room without another word and began to get dressed.

He headed toward his study, somehow managing to avoid his aunt. When he got there, he saw just how much the little fiasco yesterday had cost him.

House of paperwork sat before him, just how many, he couldn't tell. With a long sigh, he busied himself with work.

Time dragged on slowly, crawling at a snail's pace, if not slower. He heard the bustling of the servants outside, and shooed a few away as they came into to clean.

The stacks of work seemed endless. Most were trivial things, such as meetings to which he had no obligation or reason to take part it, but to which he had to reply to individually.

Ciel's hand cramped from gripping the quill for so long, and his stomach growled. He hadn't eaten all day, and that had taken it's toll on him.

Sighing heavily, he took the last stack of papers and pulled it over to him. This one too was finished, but not until after another hour or so. There was a single letter left, and Ciel was more than eager to hurry up and finished.

He opened up the letter and read over it. With a triumphant smirk, he folded the letter and put it in his pocket, heading toward the dining room.

"Ciel, you're finally finished Now we can get to-"

"We have plenty of time." Ciel cut Madame Red off with a wave.

"What do you mean? We don't know what the next opportunity will be." Madame Red said curiously, her eyes widening slightly in surprise.

He handed her the letter that had been previously in his pocket. "Now we do."

Madame Red unfolded the slightly crumpled letter, taking her time reading it. Her eyes widened in surprise. "An invitation? To a ball?"

"Not only that, but it's from the Viscount Druitt himself." Ciel pointed out. "We have well over a week before it." A servant set down dinner in front of Ciel, and he dug in hungrily.

"But it's nowhere near any holiday or event! Why would he choose now to hold one?"

"Simple," he said. "To do exactly what we've been suspecting him for."

"Kidnapping?" Madame Red wondered aloud. "I supposed that would be a correct assumption."

He nodded. "We have plenty of time to come up with a course of action, and how to extract information from the Viscount. We must succeed, lest our efforts before for nothing." His eye twitched, thinking of that horrid dress and those painful, agonizing heels. They _had_ to get this right the first time, there was no room for mistakes. He would not tolerate it. Nothing was allowed to go wrong.

He was broken out of his thoughts when Madame Red grabbed his hand and began dragging him off. "Where are we going!?" He demanded angrily.

"It's better to get started early. Plus, you aren't even close to acting like a proper young lady." She chided him. "We have all week to turn you into one! Today, you will learn how to put on a corset."

"A corset?" Ciel flushed lightly at the thought. It was utterly embarrassing for the head of the Phantomhives, a man no less, wearing a _corset_. If anyone were to ever find out, his family's name would be ruined for generations to come. Not to mention the public humiliation he would receive.

Madame Red nodded. "Yes, every young lady wears a corset. If you want to be one, you have to dress like one!"

_But I don't want to be one._ He retorted in his mind. "That does not mean I have to wear such an item as that!"

"Oh, but you do. Since you're a boy, you lack figure. The corset will help correct that. Now strip," She ordered once they had gotten to the dressing room.

"What?" the tinge of pink was now evident on the boy's face. "It is improper of me to undress before anyone, much less a woman!"

"Oh hush," she said. "I'm your aunt, there's nothing to be ashamed of. Why, when you were a baby-"

"That's enough!" Ciel said, blushing. He sighed in defeat. "Fine, I'll put it on." He unbuttoned his jacket and shirt, sliding them off his shoulders.

"Good. Now turn around." Madame Red instructed. He did, and felt the fabric slip around his waist.

"And just a fair warning. This will hurt."

"_Why didn't you tell me this before!?"_

* * *

Ciel fell back onto the bed. His ribs and stomach still hurt from earlier. All he wanted to do now was curl up on his bed and sleep for eternity.

* * *

**And that's it for the first chapter!  
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**I would like to thank my _wonderful_ beta OneStepAwayFromMassDestructi on! (whew, that's a mouthfull)  
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**Click it. You know you want too.  
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	2. Obstacles, obstacles

"Ciel!" A voice broke through the inattentive mind, forcing him to attention. Unfortunately, that wasn't enough. Ciel lost his balance as someone collided with him, knocking both of them onto the ground.

"I'm so happy to see you!" Elizabeth chirped, sitting up on top of him. "I haven't heard from you in forever, and you're always so busy, I never get to visit you!" He could barely contain his scowl. He didn't mind that Elizabeth was there, he loved her like a sister, but one simply does not disturb Ciel Phantomhive on a bad day. Letting out his annoyance in a breath, he looked at her calmly.

"Yes, pleasure to see you too. Now would you get off of me?" Blushing profusely, Elizabeth got up, followed by Ciel, who brushed off the non-existent dust that clung to his shorts.

"Ciel, let's go out today! The weather is absolutely beautiful, and we haven't spent a long time together in ages! We can have a romantic picnic for lunch." She beamed excitedly, a hopeful look on her face.

"Elizabeth, I can't. I-"

He stopped when he noticed tears forming in her eyes. He didn't want to see her crying, he felt like he was a failure as the head of the Phantomhives to keep his fiancée happy. "I suppose we could go for a little while, but only lunch." He added swiftly.

The grin reappeared on Elizabeth's face.

"Well then what are we waiting for!?" She grabbed Ciel's hand, entwining his fingers with hers and pulling him along. His sore body protested the sudden movement, and Ciel winced slightly. They ran through the mansion, taking twists and turns until they reached the back garden. Elizabeth pulling him over to a small hill with a single tree. They sat down, and Ciel feeling the warm summer sun on his face, glanced over at his cousin. Her eyes were closed, and she was smiling. He laid back on the heated grass, eyes trained on the sky.

The sky was completely clear, not a single cloud in the sky. A few birds flew past, landing in a nearby tree. Ciel felt his eyes involuntarily slip closed, and he drifted off to sleep.

_His eyes snapped open, and he sat up. He took a deep breath to calm himself, for what reason he didn't know, and ended up sputtering and choking. His lungs felt as though they were smothered in some type of thick substance. Black spots swam around his vision. He rubbed his eyes. Still there. One fell on his hand. He crushed it underneath his finger, looking at it closely. It was soot._

_He got up slowly, almost shaking. He stood there for a few minutes, steadying his breathing and trying to stop the trembling. He was almost successful, until something caught his eyes. A lock of Elizabeth's hair, smudged with ash. A trail of blood lead up to the mansion. Ciel stared in horror, losing his balance and falling on his knees._

_The mansion was burning._

_His mind was in complete chaos. The rational part of him told him to go look for Elizabeth._

"_Eli-" he started hacking, leaning against the tree for support. "Lizzie!" He opted for the shorter version of her name instead. He held his sleeve over his mouth, only taking it off the yell._

_Suddenly, a scream sounded over there crackling of the flames and Ciel's labored breathing. It was Elizabeth's scream. It came from the manor. Almost immediately, he sprinted towards the sound, not caring what happened. But when he entered the building, he stopped. It was unrecognizable, but almost familiar. As if he had once known, but somehow forgotten. If only he could just remember. Shaking his head, he just ran, all the while blindly turning down hallways and running down corridors as the mansion burned around him-_

_**Burned. **_

_He remembered what this place was. It was his before, before it had gone down in flames and been rebuilt. Memories flooded through his head as another scream sounded._

_This time he knew where to go. He tried to run, but that little stop had taken its toll on him. His asthma had begun to take a hold on him. He collapsed, gasping for even the tiniest bit of air. His vision swam before him, his thoughts became incoherent and his lungs screamed for breath._

_A strangled cry left his throat as he collapsed into a face full of ash. It coated the inside of his mouth, making it heavy and dry. The last thing he noticed was a section of the manor about to fall on him and a faint voice calling his name._

"_Ciel...!"_

* * *

"Ciel! Wake up!"

Ciel opened his bleary eyes to see a worried Elizabeth hovering over him. He blinked, getting used to the sudden bright light of the sun. The air suddenly felt chilly, and he couldn't help but shudder. "What happened?" He murmured wearily.

Elizabeth looked at him. "You fell asleep and you looked like you were having a terrible nightmare." She touched his head and gasped. "And you're burning up! We have to get you inside!"

Ciel didn't register anything she said next because he felt blackness overcome him once again.

* * *

"Is he going to be alright?"

"Yes, he'll be okay. It's only a simple fever, one brought on by a lot of stress and overworking. He should be fine in a few days. Just make sure he gets lots of rest and plenty to eat."

"Got it. Thank you so much."

"My pleasure. Have a wonderful day madame."

Ciel heard things as if he was under water. The door opened and shut before another voice spoke up.

"I still don't get why I couldn't have looked over him. I'm a perfectly qualified doctor, and he is my nephew."

"Which is exactly why you would tell me he's fine and not do anything."

"Nonsense! I-"

"Could you try...And keep the noise...Down." Ciel managed to say.

"Ciel!" Elizabeth rushed over to him. "You're awake!" She exclaimed, her voice filled with happiness.

"How long was I asleep?" He questioned. He sat up slowly, picked the wet cloth off of his forehead. His mind felt clouded, and the bright light of the room hurt his eyes. Remembering the nightmare, he took a gulp of the air, just to make sure it was just a dream. What his noise picked up instead was the smell of food. In response, his stomach growled loudly.

Elizabeth held her hand up to her mouth and giggled. "A few hours. Do you want something to eat?" Ciel nodded slightly, the motion making his head hurt. He clutched the right side of his head, feeling the place where his eye used to be. It was sewn shut now, but there was still a scar running over it, where the skin was permanently burnt. He kept it covered by his hair most of the time.

Elizabeth rushed off and came back a minute later. She held a spoon filled with a liquid up to his mouth. "Drink this Ciel," She urged.

He pushed himself up into a sitting position. "I am able to feed myself." he said, trying to defend his pride. There was no possible way he would allow someone else to feed him. His ego had already been dealt enough blows in the past week.

He took the bowl from her, but it slipped and she let out a small gasp was the hot liquid spilled on him. He shut his eyes and hissed with pain.

"Ciel, are you okay!?" Elizabeth had a worried expression on her face, but she did nothing to help him out of the current predicament he was in.

"Just fine," He replied as he shakily got up and walked towards the bathroom. He threw the door closed behind him, and leaned against the sink for support. He looked at his reflection in the mirror. His skin was dreadfully pale, and his usually bright blue eye had a certain dullness to it. He was covered in a cold sweat.

Ciel turned on the water, taking his hands and splashing water on his face. His now wet hair fell into his line of vision and clung to his skin.

He pulled the shorts he was wearing off and stood there shivering. He was freezing, even though the mansion was plenty warm.

Deciding to take a bath, Ciel started filling the tub with water. Stripping of the rest of his clothes, he folded them neatly and set them down before slipping into the hot water. He sighed and let the warmth envelop him. The hot steam helped clear his head a bit, letting one-track thoughts to form again.

He laid there until the water had gone cold. Albeit reluctantly, he got up, drying himself with a towel. At some point, a servant had come in and given him all new clothes, taking away the old ones. He slipped them on a looked at himself in the mirror again.

Ciel was only twelve, but the expression on his face made him seem much older. He had seen a lot in the past couple years, enough to make anyone throw away their childhood. It wasn't often one watches their parents burn before their very eyes. The only family he had now was Elizabeth and Madame Red. Not that he felt all that close to them anyways. Having no attachment to people was always better . That way they can't hurt you when they leave. They can't make a space in your heart only to leave it empty and hollow, wanting something to fill the gap.

He wouldn't let that happen again. He would push people away and keep his heart locked, throwing away the key forever. Unbreakable and out of anyone's reach. In hindsight, it was more like a giant metal wall with no way in or out. He wouldn't have to feel any sort of hurt or pain. He wouldn't have to suffer anymore.

Ciel stared at the reflection's blue eye. It stared right back. Sometimes, he didn't even recognize himself. What he used to be, what he is now, they were different in every way. Like someone else had taken over his body and mind, living his life without ever knowing.

Or possibly he was the impostor. A fake Ciel who knows nothing else but the life he lives now. He felt like a stranger around everyone he should know, like he shouldn't be there. Like the Ciel Phantomhive everyone once knew was gone, and there was no way he was going to come back.

He let the towel rest on his wet hair, feeling the weakness return. Heh, how ironic. The Queen's Guard Dog comes down with a sickness as soon as he's needed. He coughed, practically hearing his bones rattle. His throat hurt terribly, and he threw the towel off before less than steadily walking out.

Elizabeth was sitting on a chair in his room. She looked depressed her face wasn't lit up with her usual smile. He cleared his throat, hoping to get her attention. She looked up at him. It was obvious she had been crying. Her face was tear-stained, and her eyes were red and puffy. "Ciel!" she cried and ran to hug him. "I am so sorry I got you hurt! I feel terrible! It was all my fault!" She sobbed into his shirt, effectively soaking a piece of his clothing for the second time that day.

Ciel put his arms around her in an awkward attempt to console her. But he wasn't strong enough to support her weight along with his, so he guided her over to the bed, and they sat down on it. An uncomfortable silence stilled the air, broken only by her sniffles. They felt content in each other's grasp, neither really wanting to move, even long after Elizabeth had stopped crying. Eventually, she pulled away.

"I have to get home," she smiled weakly. "My mum will get mad at me if I stay too late."

"I'll walk you outside," He offered, standing up with her.

"No! I mean... You're sick, so you need your rest. I wouldn't want to bother you anymore." Quick as lightning, she pecked him on the cheek and dashed out of the room, her face turning red.

"Good night!" She said quickly before shutting the door behind her. Ciel stood in shock for a moment, trying to figure out what had happened.

The corner of his mouth twitched, as if trying to smile. But he didn't, he hadn't smiled since his parents died. Instead he sat back down and sighed deeply. Tomorrow was the dance he would be – was going to attend. But in his condition, there was no possible way Madame Red would let him go. At this rate it was matter of getting better quickly. Failure was not an option, and neither was sitting around doing nothing. His stomach growled, reminding him that he still hadn't eaten.

He called to a servant and had dinner prepared for him and brought to his room. As he sat in silence, he thought about his plan for the next day.

The first thing to do, was get the Viscount Druitt's attention. That shouldn't be too hard, as he's known to flirt with whatever moves. Ciel grimaced. What a disgusting man. So vile, so cruel., taking and selling people for his own personal gain. It was try that Ciel himself was also manipulative for selfish reasons, but he would never go so low as to deal on the Black Market, never mind selling _people._

It was a notion that Ciel didn't not understand. What could drive a person to go as far at that? Desperation, he supposed. Feeling lowly and useless, wanting a life full of riches and wealth. Living a good life at the cost of others suffering. Throwing away their humanity was an appropriate way to put it. Almost selling themselves.

And Ciel had to do exactly that. Sell himself, and throw away his pride and get close to a man while disguised as a lady. To shamelessly throw himself at the Viscount's feet and practically beg to be taken away. And that's what he hated the most.

He twiddled with the ring on his thumb. Being a Phantomhive, having this ring, it was the only thing that was truly him. And now, he would have to leave even that behind.

Changing into his nightclothes, he blew out the candle, casting the room into endless darkness, save for the moonlight streaming through the windows. He curled up on the bed, closing his eye and falling into a dreamless sleep.

* * *

Ciel blinked a few times before he fully woke up, Sitting up, he groaned in pain as memories of yesterday flashed through his head. He certainly felt worse. He forced himself to stand up and almost slammed his head on the bedpost. His entire body felt like jelly, and he felt himself burning up.

Madame Red strolled into the room. "Lay back down Ciel, you're in no condition to be up and about." She scolded, urging Ciel to sit back on the bed. He looked up at her. "I'm fine, it's just a cold." He coughed, contradicting his words.

"Oh hush! It may be just a cold, but don't forget that you have asthma, and that makes it a lot worse." He knew she was right. He was having a lot of trouble breathing, causing him to be constantly lightheaded.

He felt completely weak and helpless. He didn't resist as Madame Red put a hand on his shoulder and pushed him back into a sitting position. "You're not leaving this room today. The case will have to wait."

* * *

**And welcome again to this story!**

**Thanks again to my beta OneStepAwayFromMassDestructi on!**

**Sorry about the wait for this chapter, real life stuff comes up a lot. I honestly have no idea when I'll be publishing the next chapter.  
**

**But, reviews help a lot ^.^  
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**So click that little button down there.**

**See it?**

**V**

**Bye!**


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